Buckle.



PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.

W. J. FLEMING.

BUGKLE. APPLICATION FILED HAY 4,-1907.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM J. FLEMING, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BUCKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application filed May 4,1907. $erial No. 371,791.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. FLEMING, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Buckle, of which the following is a specification.

My invention particularly relates to that class of buckles used for the back straps of mens vests, and for similar purposes. Such buckles as heretofore made have usually consisted of a frame within which is a pivoted bar carrying the buckle teeth. Buckles so constructed are subject to the objection that when the buckle is closed on the strap, the teeth are liable to spring up, so as to present their points to the hands and clothing.

The object of my invention is to obviate this defeet, and provide an efficient buckle, the teeth of which shall at no time be inconveniently exposed, and which shall be simple and economical in construetion.

To this end my invention consists in so forming the buckle that the buckle teeth lie wholly within the buckle frame, and are rigidly secured to orform a part of a bar which extends across and is rigidly secured to the sides of the frame. To this frame is pivotally attached a second smaller frame, one side of which, when the buckle is in use, makes contact with the points of the buckle teeth. Thus the pivoted or swinging frame performs the function heretofore performed by that side of the main frame with which the points of the buckle teeth have heretofore been in contact, and since the buckle teeth are rigidly fixed in the plane of the main buckle frame, any undesirable exposure of their points is avoided.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows the buckle in per spective, without the swinging frame. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the swinging frame. Fig. 3 shows a top view, and Fig. 4 a bottom view of the complete buckle. Fig. 5 shows a plan view from above of the buckle in use. Fig. 6 is a side view of the same; and Fig. 7 a section of the same on the line -50, Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a View of the buckle in use, seen from underneath.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A, indicates the frame of the buckle, across which extends the bar or cross piece, B, rigidly secured to the sides, a, a, thereof. The cross-piece, B, carries the teeth, b, b, which are rigidly secured thereto. The frame, A, and the bar, B, and teeth, 6, b, may be and preferably are cut or stamped from a sheet of metal in a single piece. The teeth, b, I), do not extend entirely across the space between the cross-piece, B, and the side, (1 of the frame, A, but lie wholly within the frame, A.

In the turned down sides, a, a, of the frame, A, are sockets, c, 0, adapted to receive the pivots, d, d, of a smaller frame, D, which is thereby pivotally attached to the frame, A. One end, 6, of the frame, D, is adapted to make contact with the points of the teeth, b, b, which rest thereon when the buckle is in use.

In using the buckle the fixed end, F, of the strap may be attached to the side, a of the buckle frame, A, or, preferably, as shown in the drawings, to a supplementa-l loop, E, provided for the purpose. This loop, E, may form one piece with the buckle frame, A, being cut from the same sheet of metal. The free end, G, of the strap is secured by passing it through the swinging frame, D, between the side, 6, of the frame, D, and the points of buckle teeth, b, b, and pressing the teeth through the cloth in the usual way. The loose end may then be secured by passing it under the side, a, of the frame, A.

It will be evident that, however much the swinging frame, D, may fall away from the teeth, I), b, there will be no inconvenient exposure of the teeth, which lie within and are guarded by the frame, A.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A buckle comprising a rigid frame, a cross-bar rigidly attached thereto, buckle teeth rigidly attached to said bar, and lying wholly Within said frame, and a swinging frame pivotally attached to said first mentioned frame, and ar ranged to make contact with said teeth, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

' In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name, this 2d day of May, A. D., 1907.

WILLIAM J. FLEMING.

vWitnesses CLARKSON A. CoLmNs, \VILLIAM J. KINDGEN. 

